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Cuero firefighters battle house, highway fires

Cuero firefighters race from one scene to next on hot day

A string of fires along State Highway 183 occupied Cuero firefighters for most of Sunday afternoon.
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  • Erica Rodriguez •
  • Originally published August 2, 2009 at 6:51 p.m., updated August 3, 2009 at 8:11 a.m.

  • HOW TO HELP

    For more information on helping the family displaced by Sunday's fire, contact Linda Mae with the Victoria chapter of the American Red Cross at 361-573-2671.

DEWITT COUNTY - Cuero firefighters were spread thin Sunday afternoon battling a house fire that displaced a family and a string of highway blazes that stretched three miles.

An elderly couple and their son had to flee their home Sunday afternoon after a house fire destroyed a back bedroom of their home.

The house fire was reported at 12:15 p.m. and was contained to one bedroom at the residence on the 400 block of Henry St.

"Good thing not too much happened to it," said Rene Peña, who lived at the home. "If that fire would've got to the attic, then it would've been a serious problem."

The rest of the home and a small adjacent gift shop suffered minor smoke damage, fire officials said.

"It wasn't a total loss," Cuero's American Red Cross coordinator Blanca McBride said. "I think everything's going to be OK."

McBride said family members lost all of their spare clothing and mostly are in need of clothing donations.

Peña said he will be staying with family in Victoria, and his two elderly parents will be staying in a local hotel with the help of the Red Cross.

Cuero Fire Department Second Assistant Chief Charles Klaevemana said he thinks the fire was caused by an electrical short.

A string of four fires on Highway 183 were reported just an hour later at 1 p.m., and units from the house fire were called to assist, said Assistant Fire Chief Rodney Bade.

Units from the Yoakum Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the blaze.

"With the conditions the way the are, it's not unusual to have two fires in one day," Bade said. "We don't like to see it, but things happen."

Firefighters continued to battle the blaze after parts of it re-ignited and jumped the road about 5 p.m. The fires burned between eight to 10 acres, Bade said.

One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion. Although the cause of the fire is unknown, fire officials speculate it was sparked from something a vehicle was dragging.

No further information was available.



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Comments

  • Interestedreader Interestedreader Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I agree wholeheartedly. Many thanks to the firefighters (many of who are volunteers.)

    August 3, 2009 at 10:07 a.m.
  • outsidelookingin outsidelookingin Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    These guys(all firefighters) are amazing. I think I saw the thermometer in my truck hit 110 on Sunday. I drove through Cuero while they were battling the house fire and saw the firefighters working hard to save a families house. As I drove towards Gonzales I then saw that firefighters were also hard at work battling a large grass fire. We need to thank these guys for what they do and applaud them, remember that these guy are volunteer and are doing it for free.

    August 3, 2009 at 9:50 a.m.